Shipping carton for garments



July 7, 1964 .1. A. MOGLIA SHIPPING CARTON FOR GARMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 30, 1962 1NVENTOR.

John A. Mag/Ia him July 7, 1964 J. A. MOGLIA SHIPPING CARTON FOR GARMENTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 30, 1962 0 w q m 5 2 2 ,w a H 1/ 5/ 0 5/ Q" 5 6 Q" U AW Q Q" Q" Q A o m F John A. Mag/i0 INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,139,978 SHIPPING CARTON FOR GARMENTS John A. Moglia, Allentown, Pa. (1290 Ave. of the Americas, Room 1426, New York 19, N.Y.) Filed Nov. 30, 1962, 'Ser. No. 241,317 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-7) This invention relates to an improved wardrobe-type fiberboard or equivalent carton which is uniquely constructed and thus adapted for effectually enclosing, shipping and otherwise handling garments which are enclosed and hung therein from conventional wire or equivalent garment hangers.

Persons conversant with the art to which the invention relates are aware that it is common practice to use wardrobe-type cartons to protectively shield garments while they are being handled in transit. The U.S. patent to Belsinger 2,974,779 of March 14, 1961, is indicative of a type of carton which is popular and has metwith widespread adoption and use.

Considering the fact that triangulate wire garment hangers are customarily employed in the trade it became necessary to avoid slipping and sliding of the hanger hooks on the suspension pole or equivalent device at the top of the container portion of the carton. This result was accomplished by providing a suspension rib or equivalent hanger support member with a plurality of individual holes to accommodatingly retain the hanger hooks and keep them spaced apart and to minimize the likelihood of accidental displacement thereof or consequent displacement of the garments therefrom while in transit. Typical examples of apertured hanger suspending ribs are shown, for example, in U.S. Patent 2,770,357 and another similar type in Patent 2,561,053. These several patents are being cited here in order to categorize the instant invention and to show by comparison the significant refinements and distinctions which have been devised to advance the art.

At the outset it is significant to point out that in cartons in the field of endeavor herein under consideration it has been found advisable to render the garments and their hangers accessible from the front of the carton. This result can be attained in several ways as evidenced in prior art adaptations. In carrying out the present invention an improved adaptation is offered; that is, a door-like panel or flap is provided. This flap is approximately one-half the size of the front wall, is openable and closable when it is swung in a horizontal plane on a vertical axis and cooperates in a novel manner with the wall components of the over-all carton (particularly the top wall or cover) in providing a reliable and sturdy con-' struction-which better serves the purposes for which it is intended.

More explicitly the carton is regarded as unique in part in that it embodies a front wall and a top wall which inconjunction with the other walls defines a novel container-type garment carton. The vertical front wall has a half portion thereof struck out to define an entrance and, in addition, a door-like flap which functions to open and close said entrance. This flap has one vertical marginal vertical edge hinged to a forward edge of a side wall whereby it may be swung out to an open position in a horizontal plane. The free marginal edge portions of the flap engage coacting edge portions of the front wall proper and the forward edge of the top wall has a depending flange to embrace and rigidify the upper portion of the flap when it is in its closed garment shipping position. The upper portion of said door-like flap is provided with a horizontal laterally disposed auxiliary flap which serves to stabilize and reinforce the front of the carton in a manner to be hereinafter set forth.

In accordance with the present invention the carton is 3,139,978 Patented July 7, 1964 closed at its top by a structurally distinct top wall, more particularly, a wall which constitutes an integral extension of the upper end of the cartons back wall, said extension being creased, suitably bent and then folded intermediate its ends to provide and define a novel apertured garment hanger suspension rib.

Novelty is predicated on the top wall featuring said suspension rib wherein the components or folds thereof are stapled to provide a top wall strengthening or rigidifying member, and also wherein marginal edges of said top wall are provided with depending rim-forming flanges which are designed and adapted to embrace the upper portions of the side walls and front wall in a manner to strengthen the carton and condition it for rough handling and use.

Further novelty is predicated on the aforementioned specially folded suspension rib wherein the end portions of the folds which define the rib are provided with short laterally directed tabs, said tabs being directed forwardly and rearwardly against the interior surfaces of the opposed side walls and being stapled thereto.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a garment enclos ing, handling and shipping carton constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the same with the component parts closed and the carton thus loaded (not detailed) for handling and shipping;

FIGURE 2 is a view also in perspective with the front door-like flap swung to open position, with the forward half-portion of the top wall or cover lifted, and with a portion of one side broken away to shown the interior bottom wall construction.

FIGURE 3 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane of the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view of a fragmentary type and also on a scale approximating that of FIG. 3 and taken on the plane of the section line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIGURE 5 is a detail section on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective of one portion of the cover or top wall illustrated in a manner to etfec tively show the details of construction.

With reference now to the views of the drawings and more particularly FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be evident that the carton in general appearance resembles a conventional-type garment protecting and shipping carton. Fiberboard, cardboard or equivalent bendable lightweight sheet material may be used in constructing the carton. Resembling a substantially rectangular box and of suitable height (depending on the garments which are to be shipped) the carton comprises a bottom wall 8 (FIG. 3) an overlying top wall 10, back wall 12, front wall 14 and side walls 16 and 18. The composite bottom wall is fashioned from cooperating bent-under flaps 17 carried by the lower portions of the front and back walls 12 and 14, and turned-in overlying companion flaps 20 (FIG. 2) carried by the lower portions of the side walls 16 and 18. The rear end of one side wall, the wall 18 for example, is provided with a turned in vertical flap 22 which overlaps the interior of the back wall and is stapled thereto as at 24. Thus it will be evident that the bottom wall, side walls and back walls are of usual construction and that the front wall 14 and top' wall 10 constitute the improved walls which will now be described in detail.

Taking up first the improved front wall 14 it will be seen that this wall is of two-part construction. The main component or part 26 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is substantially triangulate in front elevation, has one vertical edge 28 integral with the forward vertical edge of the side wall 16. The lower right-hand reduced portion has its edge 30 integral with the forward vertical edge of the other side wall 18 (FIG. 2). The bottom edge portion 31 carries the aforementioned bottom flap 18 (FIG. 3). Struck out from this front wall is the aforementioned flap which may be said to be the relatively movable component or part of the front wall. This flap is also substantially triangulate in general appearance and is denoted at 32 and has a vertical edge 34 integral with the major vertical edge portion of the side wall 18 which provides a hinge and permits the flap to thus transform itself into a readily openable and closable door. The upper straight across edge 35 is flush with the upper edges of the side walls 16 and 18 and is provided with a laterally bent extension which constitutes an auxiliary stabilizing flap 36. It will be noted that the transverse edge 37 provides a limit stop which is designed and adapted to abut the wall 18. The sloping free edge portion 38 matches and abuts the corresponding inclined or sloping marginal edge 40 of the fixed wall component 26. The remaining short edge portions 42 and 44 cooperate in stabilizing the lower hinged edge portion of this door-flap 32. When the door is open as shown in FIG. 2 it exposes the interior of the carton and permits ready access to be had thereto.

Taking up now the top wall it is first to be noted that the lefthand end portion thereof, as illustrated in FIG. 3, is integral with the upper end of the back wall 12. In fact, it is hingedly connected thereto as at 46. This top wall may be defined as an apron-like extension of the upper part of the back wall 12. While it is constructed to constitute a cover, it is not a bodily attachable and detachable type cover. It is such in top plan dimension that it provides a rear rectangular half-portion 48, and a similar front or forward half-portion 50. The two half-portions 48 and 50 are joined by a rectangular connecting web which latter is bent upon itself between its ends as at 52 and bent again as denoted at 54 to define a suspension rib 51 for the hook portions 56 of conventional wire garment hangers 58. To accomplish this the companion folds 60 and 62 are pressed directly together and stapled as at 63 thus providing a rigid rib. Holes are punched as at 64 and these holes serve to support the hangers so that they will not shift from their intended positions while suspended and in transit. This top wall reinforcing and hanger suspension rib 51, interposed between and integral with the half-portions 48 and S0, is unique. To this end it should be noted that the respective ends of the folds 60 and 62 are formed with tongue-like reinforcing tabs 61 and 65, respectively, which are bent forwardly and rearwardly and are stapled to the walls 16 and 18 in the manner illustrated. It will be further observed that the lefthand and righthand end portions of the half-portion 48 are provided with depending flanges 66 which are stapled at 68 to the upper portions of the side walls 16 and 18 with which they cooperate. The side flanges 70 on the forward half-portion 50 are similar in construction and purpose. Whereas the rear half-portion 48 is stapled to the carton, the forward half-portion 50 is hinged and may swing up or down as shown in full and dotted lines in FIG. 3. It will be further noted that the forward end portion of said half-portion 50 is provided with a depending front flange 72 having its respective ends stapled to lateral bent-in end extensions or tabs 74 as at 76.

It is to be emphasized that the top of the carton is an integral part of the over-all carton. Thus, the entire top wall 10 is an extension of the back wall and comprises component half-portions 48 and 50 and intervening suspension rib 51. These features are of the essence in evaluating the complete carton.

With reference again to FIG. 6 it is to be pointed out that it was deemed advisable to include this illustration in order to show the reinforcing and attaching tabs or tongues 61 and 65 at the respective ends of the folds 60 and 62 which go to make up the unique hanger suspension rib 51. It will be seen that the tabs 61 and 65 have not yet been riveted in place. Consequently, by comparing this view (FIG. 6) with the showing at the right in FIG. 2 (wherein one of the tabs 65 is shown stapled) the reader can obtain a clear idea of the novel construction of this two-ply rib construction 51 after the plies or folds 60 and 62 are stapled together for rigidity and wherein the stapled tabs or tongues 61 and 65 have their respective ends fastened to the walls 16 and 18 thus providing a highly sturdy and reliable construction. In this illustration, FIG. 6, the lid section is shown fragmentarily and partly swung up to uncover the rib 51 and the end tabs 61 and 65.

It is believed that the construction and operation will be clear from FIGS. 1 and 2 in particular, in that in FIG. 1 the door flap 32 is shown closed (which is the normal position when shipping) and wherein the hinged lid portion of the cover or top wall is shown closed with the rim forming flanges embracing the upper portions of the side walls and front wall. Obviously by lifting the hinged lid portion 50 from the full line to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 3 (detailed in particular in FIG. 2) and then swinging the door 32 open, access to the interior of the carton can be had.

It is submitted that a careful consideration of the detailed description in conjunction with the views of the drawings will enable the reader to obtain a clear and comprehensive understanding of the invention, the outstandingly significant features thereof, the manner of opening and closing the novel door, the manner of reliably suspending the garment equipped hangers and other incidental but significant structural characteristics. Therefore, a more extended description is regarded as unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A carton for enclosing, handling and shipping garments which are hung on wire or similar hangers comprising: horizontal top and bottom walls and complemental vertical front, back and side walls, said front wall having a main vertical portion fixed along vertical and horizontal marginal edges to cooperable vertical and horizontal edges of one vertical side wall, and the bottom wall, respectively, and an auxiliary complemental portion struck out of said front wall and separated from said main portion and having a single vertical marginal edge hingedly joined to a cooperating vertical forward edge of the other side wall and defining a horizontally swingable flap, said flap defining a front entrance to the interior of said carton and providing a closing door therefor, said top wall embodying front and rear half-portions adjacent edges of which are joined by a connecting web, said web being of a length commensurate in length with the width of said top wall and being folded upon itself intermediate its ends, the resulting folds being in direct contact with each other from end to end and secured together and defining a rib, said rib having a plurality of selectively usable holes therein adapted to accommodate suspension hooks on said garment hangers, the rear end of said top Wall being integral with the cooperating upper end of the back wall and constituting an extension of said back wall, said front and rear half-portions being provided with depending rim-flanges, the latter embracing upper portions of the front and side walls, the folds of said web being provided at their respective outer ends with lateral forwardly and rearwardly directed tongue-like anchoring and reinforcing tabs, said tabs abutting cooperating interior surfaces of the respectively adjacent side walls and being fixedly connected.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 and wherein said flap is triangulate, the upper marginal edge being of a length substantially equal to the total width of the front wall and flush with the upper edges of the side walls when in its entrance closing position, the upper marginal portion of said flap being provided with an auxiliary stabilizing flap which is turned inwardly and is disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of said flap and is commensurate in length to the length of the upper edge, said auxiliary flap having a straight-across transverse end which in use is adapted to firmly abut an interior surface of an upper edge portion of the cooperating adjacent side wall to provide a limit stop.

3. An enclosing, handling and shipping carton for garments which can be hung therein with the aid of conventional-type garment hangers comprising: top, bottom, front, back and side walls, the rearward marginal edge of said top wall being integral with the upper portion of the back wall and constituting a complemental extension thereof, said front wall having a main stationary portion fixed along an outward vertical edge to a cooperating vertical front edge of one side wall, having a horizontal edge at the bottom integral with the forward edge of the bottom wall and extending from one side wall to the other side Wall, an inner marginal edge of said main stationary portion being oblique-angled and sloping from the top portion of one side wall to and terminating adjacent to the lower portion of the vertical edge of the other side wall, said front wall also embodying an auxiliary companion portion which is struck out from said front wall and having an outer single vertical marginal edge hingedly joined to a cooperating vertical forward edge of the other side wall and defining a door-like readily openable and closable flap, said flap being of a vertical height substantially equal to the vertical height of said other side wall and the inner vertical edge thereof being oblique-angled and slanting outwardly and downwardly and being adapted to coperatively abut the corresponding inner edge of the main stationary portion, the upper marginal edge of said flap being of a length substantially equal to the total width of the front of said carton and being provided With a horizontal turned-in reinforcing flap, said top wall embodying front and rear half-portions having adjacent edges joined to each other by an intervening connecting Web, said web being folded upon itself intermediate its ends, the resulting folds being in direct contact with each other and fixedly secured together in superimposed relationship and defining a rib, said rib having a plurality of selectively usable holes therein which are adapted to accommodate suspension hooks on said garment hangers, the folds of said web being provided at their respective outer ends with forwardly and rearwardly directed tonguelike rib-anchoring and reinforcing tabs, said tabs abutting coacting interior surfaces of the respectively adjacent side walls and being fixedly connected thereto, the half-portions of said top wall being provided on side margins thereof with depending forward and rearward flanges, the flanges of the rear half-portion being stapled to cooperating upper portions of the respective side walls, the forward flanges being free of connection with said side walls, the forward marginal edge of said front half-portion having a depending front flange, the respective front ends of said forward flanges being bent inwardly toward each other and providing connecting terminal tabs, said terminal tabs being stapled to the respective end portions of said front flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,633,235 Marks Mar. 31, 1953 2,770,357 Sheard Nov. 13, 1956 2,883,042 Richer Apr. 21, 1959 2,974,779 Belsinger Mar. 14, 1961 3,037,617 Collin June 5, 1962 

1. A CARTON FOR ENCLOSING, HANDLING AND SHIPPING GARMENTS WHICH ARE HUNG ON WIRE OR SIMILAR HANGERS COMPRISING: HORIZONTAL TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS AND COMPLEMENTAL VERTICAL FRONT, BACK AND SIDE WALLS, SAID FRONT WALL HAVING A MAIN VERTICAL PORTION FIXED ALONG VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL MARGINAL EDGES TO COOPERABLE VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL EDGES OF ONE VERTICAL SIDE WALL, AND THE BOTTOM WALL, RESPECTIVELY, AND AN AUXILIARY COMPLEMENTAL PORTION STRUCK OUT OF SAID FRONT WALL AND SEPARATED FROM SAID MAIN PORTION AND HAVING A SINGLE VERTICAL MARGINAL EDGE HINGEDLY JOINED TO A COOPERATING VERTICAL FORWARD EDGE OF THE OTHER SIDE WALL AND DEFINING A HORIZONTALLY SWINGABLE FLAP, SAID FLAP DEFINING A FRONT ENTRANCE TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CARTON AND PROVIDING A CLOSING DOOR THEREFOR, SAID TOP WALL EMBODYING FRONT AND REAR HALF-PORTIONS ADJACENT EDGES OF WHICH ARE JOINED BY A CONNECTING WEB, SAID WEB BEING OF A LENGTH COMMENSURATE IN LENGTH WITH THE WIDTH OF SAID TOP WALL AND BEING FOLDED UPON ITSELF INTERMEDIATE ITS ENDS, THE RESULTING FOLDS BEING IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH 